Under the supervision of the Charge Nurse and Director of Pre-Op/PACU is responsible for implementing the Pre-Op Nursing Assessment/Post Anesthesia Care record and nursing care plan. The PACU nurse is also responsible for implementing all physician orders, providing for the continuity and quality of nursing care for all patients, with continual evaluation of the patient’s condition, providing patient safety, comfort, and privacy at all time. At times, assist the physicians in the procedure rooms with various tasks, conscious sedation and utilizing sterile technique as deemed appropriate.
POST-OPERATIVE DUTIES
- Assess patients’ condition after a surgery has been performed
- Ensure that all vitals are within normal range
- Log all findings in patients’ files
- Answer patients’ questions and ensure that they are kept comfortable
- Make sure that all relevant IVs are in check
- Develop individualized care plans based on each individual patient’s condition
- Ensure that the all nursing activities are carried out in accordance to individual patient care plan
- Monitor patients for condition changes and report any changes to the doctor
- Initiate patient education programs to ensure that both patients and families are educated on procedures and medications
- Determine when patients are ready to be moved to their rooms
- Perform intervention duties in cases of post-operative emergencies
- Record sedation levels and body temperature
- Manage blood and fluid transfusions and draw specimens
- Ensure that the post-operative space is clean and sanitized
- Change bandages and dress surgical wounds
Required Skills
- Graduate of an accredited school of nursing
- Minimum 2 year experience in a clinical setting
- Current Texas Nursing License
- Current CPR and ACLS
- PALS to be acquired within 90 days of employment if not currently certified
- Excellent communication skills
- Good Organization habits
- Ability to adapt to change quickly, strong knowledge base relative to surgery procedures and management of the surgical patient
- Understands principles of aseptic technique and their implementation
- Ability to care for patients from one year old to geriatrics
- Excellent teaching skills
- Basic knowledge of Continuous Quality Improvement ideology
Required Experience